The Blue Jays announced the signing of international free-agent pitcher Seojun Moon on Wednesday.
Here’s what you need to know about the 18-year-old from South Korea:
Big pitcher with a big arm
Moon is the first Korean-born international signing in team history. He’s a six-foot-four, 214-pound right-handed pitcher who spent the last three years at Jangchung High School in Seoul.
In 24 games over his high school career, he recorded a 2.18 ERA and struck out 93 batters over 66 innings without allowing a home run.
According to , the teenager’s fastball sits in the low-90s but can touch 95 miles per hour. He has an “advanced ability” to spin the ball and is described as “projectable” and a “strong competitor.”
How the Blue Jays landed Moon
Reports of Moon and the Jays working on a deal were over a month ago. Sportsnet’s Arden Zwelling and Shi Davidi later reported that the deal was worth $1.5 million (U.S.) in international bonus money.Â
The Blue Jays added $2 million of international bonus pool money in the off-season when they acquired outfielder Myles Straw and his hefty two-year contract from the Cleveland Guardians. The Jays were stocking up on international signing funds in their pursuit of top Japanese baseball prospect Roki Sasaki, who eventually signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Moon joins Dominican shortstop Cristopher Polanco and third baseman Juan Sanchez as the Blue Jays’ most notable international signings of 2025.
The Dodgers and New York Mets also offered contracts to Moon, .
Korean baseball fans familiar with Jays
While Moon is the Jays’ first international signing from South Korea, he isn’t the first Korean pitcher they’ve employed.
The GTA’s South Korean community can’t wait for opening day, now that it’s also destined to be Hyun-Jin Ryu’s Blue Jays debut. All Jays games will
The GTA’s South Korean community can’t wait for opening day, now that it’s also destined to be Hyun-Jin Ryu’s Blue Jays debut. All Jays games will
In 2019, the Jays signed South Korean southpaw Hyun-Jin Ryu to a four-year, $80-million deal. Ryu had spent six seasons with the Dodgers and was coming off a season where he was the runner up for the Cy Young Award.
Ryu was the most popular MLB player from Korea at the time and signing with º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøwas big news back home.
All Jays games were aired nationally in Korea the next season and throughout his four seasons in Toronto, many South Koreans — both those who lived in the city and others who made the long trip from Asia — visited the Rogers Centre to watch him pitch.
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